The Morris family from Lampman, SK who had their custom made six-door SUV denied entry to Canada more than two years ago will finally get their vehicle back home.
The truck was customized in the U.S. after Alison and Edwin Morris decided that purchasing a 15 passenger vehicle would prove to be unsafe for all eight of their children. Alison Morris said many of the vans have been banned for school use in Canada and plus it would be unable to handle the country roads.
"The reason we did it was because there are no four wheel drive vehicles that seat more than nine people in Canada or none in the United States that we can buy and import," she said.
Morris said she did extensive research on the Canada Border Services Agency website as well as contacting Transport Canada for guidance in bringing over a modified truck. And many of the stipulations she said regarding the importation of vehicles did not apply to vehicles that left Canada and returned. But the couple was told by officials from Transport Canada that regulations state, vehicles that have been customized outside Canada must be recertified. The truck which is valued at $90,000 has been parked in a lot at the North Portal border ever since. Morris also explained that many of the requirements they needed to regain possession of their SUV were next to impossible.
"It has to meet the same standard as a brand new manufactured vehicle, which means it would had to be crash tested and there's no way that could have happened," she said
" And there's no way to put a sticker on it to say that has happened because they say building something with used parts is not allowed, so it would have been impossible to meet what they were asking."
After a long struggle and the help of provincial officials, SGI are now inspecting the vehicle after they were given the go ahead by Transport Canada. Although the truck was parked for more than two years, which may not be a good thing for the vehicle, Morris said she's confident they will soon be able to drive the vehicle home.
"We'll get it, it's not a question, it's just that there a few little things that will have to be done but all the major issues are fine... a couple cosmetic things," she said.
